As a wildlife and landscape photographer I am constantly changing between my Wimberley Head when photographing wildlife and my Really Right Stuff ballhead when photographing landscapes.  In the field, this can be a real hassle trying to quickly remove one head to attach the other and I worried about stripping the threads in the process or missing a great shot while fumbling with equipment.  A couple of years ago, one of my participants (Bruce) had a great idea of attaching a quick release plate to the bottom of the ballehad and then mounting the ballhead to the Wimberley…

While it wasn’t a perfect solution, it certainly got the job allowed me to quickly mount the BH-55, make a few shots and go back to the Wimberley.  Really Right Stuff took it a step farther when they introduced the TH-DVTL: Round Dovetail Plate; a custom made plate that threads onto the bottom of the BH-55 and has a quick release setup on the bottom…

It didn’t solve the whole issue of working with a ballhead mounted to a Wimberely but, it was a well machined accessory.  Fast forward to last month when another participant (Gary) had a leveling head with the quick release clamp that he could switch between the BH-55 and the Wimberely at the release of one lever.  Now this made great sense but, I didn’t want to add any more weight than necessary so I went to the Really Right Stuff website and wandered around looking for something that would work for my needs.  It was then that I realized that I could buy a clamp (B2 LLR II)…

and attach it to my tripod and then simply clamp the BH-55 to the tripod…

Gary also had a plate (TH-DVTL-40) designed for their BH-40 which just happens to have the same base as the Wimberley…

I went online and ordered two clamps (one for each tripod) and the dovetail plate to fit my Wimberley and I can now quickly and easily change from one head to the other with no muss or fuss.

*Note: Really Right Stuff offers several clamps.  Make sure to find the one that has the correct threads for your tripod.  Most tripods and ballheads have 3/8 threads at the attachment point.  If in doubt give the folks at Really Right Stuff a call and they will be happy to help you.

Batteries are the lifeblood that run our electronics and yet we pay so little attention to them. Take time this new year to refresh, recharge or replace your batteries so that you have the power you need…when you need it…in the field.

Here’s what I do…
-Install each battery into my cameras (the Nikon D3 series has a gauge in the menu that shows the life of the battery and when it needs refreshed) and check to see if they need refreshed (deep discharge and recharge), recharged or even replaced.
-Test and recharge or refresh AA batteries for flash, flashlight and portable electronics. I have switched to the Sanyo Enloop batteries as they hold a charge for months.
-Replace or recharge batteries as needed in Visible Dust Loupe (2-CR2025 batteries), Arctic Butterfly (2-AA batteries), MC-36 Remote Release (2-AA batteries), Lightning Trigger (9 volt battery), Headlamp (2-AA Batteries), Streamlight flashlight (2-CR123 batteries) and so on
-Replace spare/backup batteries with new stock.
-Recycle used batteries

*Note: this is a good time to check your smoke alarms, carbon monoxide sensors, flashlights and other household electronics while you are at it. I make the first of every year my time to refresh, recharge or replace all my batteries.

That’s right…my much loved Tech Tuesday returns in 2012 and it’s bigger, better and filled with even more in depth content than ever! Each Tuesday I’ll share tip, trick, technique or piece of equipment that aids me in my creative journey and will hopefully help you as well. Stay tuned.